Kobayashi: “My thoughts are with people in Japan”

2011 F1 testing

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Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber, Barcelona, 2011

Kamui Kobayashi says he is “very sad” about the destruction and loss of life in Japan today.

The country experienced a severe earthquake and tsunami which caused widespread death and destruction. The full scale of the tragedy is not yet known.

Speaking after today’s test session in Barcelona the Japanese driver said: “Now all my thoughts are with the people in Japan.

“My country has suffered an enormous catastrophe. The news is depressing and I’m very sad. I can’t really put in words what I feel.”

Image © Sauber F1 Team

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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27 comments on “Kobayashi: “My thoughts are with people in Japan””

  1. Some of those videos are really unpleasant.

    1. Sadly its too true.

      Wouldnt wish that level of destruction on anyone and can only offer my thoughts to todays victims.

  2. It was a huge quake I’ve not experienced before, being in chiba 30 km south east from tokyo even far from epicentre.

    Yet swaying by aftershocks and not lift tsunami warning…

    1. Keep us up to date if you can! Take good care.

      1. Thanks!
        I’m okay except that aftershocks hinder my sleep.

        1. Absolutely take care and best wishes!

      2. OMG
        Another huge quake hits Nagano pref…

        1. That’s terrible, I heard it’s just outside of the Nagano Prefacture.

          1. @ kaoru

            Take care & stay safe.

  3. My thoughts and prayers go out to them :-(

  4. Some of the images I have seen are unbelievable, I really hope those affected can recover quickly.

  5. My thoughts and feelings with the families who have been affected

  6. Really sad news :(

  7. So much tragedy in recent years as a result of mother nature.

    All the best to those impacted.

  8. my prayers go out to them!

  9. UneedAFinn2Win
    11th March 2011, 21:04

    The only “upside” in this tragedy is the fact that Japan is probably the best prepared nation on this planet for this situation. They will persevere.

    That said, I hope for the best for everyone affected in any capacity.

    1. You have to see it to believe it. The buildings in this country are built to withstand forces that would decimate other places.

      Yesterday was horrbile enough in Tokyo, I can only imagine how it was up North. The images and videos Ive seen on twitter and tv have been truly terrifying. Please hug your loved ones as you never know when something like this is going to hit.

    2. Unfortunately Japan’s economy isn’t in great shape. This epic natural disaster has come at a pretty awful time. They’re going to be doing it tough.

  10. Absolutely terrible

  11. Really bad, it was a high magnitude quake.My thoughts are with the people. to other coastal area around Japan please go to higher ground above 10 meters as there are speculation that more tsunami are expected in neighboring country around Japan.

    1. My thoughts are also with people in Japan.

      I read 8.9, unbelievable.

  12. My thoughts are with you Japan. I hope that kamui’s family are ok. Any more news on the reactors?

    1. Fortunately Amagasaki city where his family live are completely safe from the earthquake and tsunami, but he may well have friends or relatives living in the disaster area.

      First reactor of Fukushima 1st nuclear power plant seems to be the most critical. Japan gov confirms a part of fuel rods melting in the reactor.

  13. Pink Pirelli
    12th March 2011, 8:42

    This is just awful for the people of Japan. My thoughts are with them.

  14. The full scale of the tragedy is not yet known.

    I read somewhere that nearly seven hundred bodies were found on a beach near Sendai, and it could be about to get worse – there are serious fears that the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant could experience a full-scale nuclear meltdown. The reactor cooling system failed in the aftermath of the earthquake, and attempts to stabilise the reactor core by having coolant flown in from a nearby US Air Force base appear to have done little, if anything. In the past few hours, there has been an explosion in the plant, and the Japanese authorities are trying to do everything they can to prevent the nuclear fuel rods from melting. There are unconfirmed reports that spent uranium may have escaped the plant and entered the water table.

  15. One of my co-workers has a brother in Japan,he said the biggest concern now is the nuclear power plant.What a terrible tragedy.The videos of the tsunami make me cringe.Seems like the whole world is undergoing natural disasters,terrorism and revolutions.

  16. Steve the Engineer
    14th March 2011, 1:18

    There are times when sport is insignificant. Even a great sport like F1 pales with this week’s news of the devastation and loss of life. Pray for the good people of Japan.

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